Transformers: The Schism, Episode 1
by Krelaen Matthius
Summary: "Paradigm Shift": The Decepticons declare war on the Autobots after centuries of peace. Running entirely on it's own continuity, this series is written in a much more flowing, descriptive novel-like format as opposed to the more common script style.


Transformers: The Schism

Episode 1: "Paradigm Shift"

Written by Krelaen Matthius Prestwich

His taloned hand ran across the window pane as he stared out towards the sky. He was Shockwave, Decepticon tyrant, and he was restless. He had received the call to arms. It was time to renew a war which had been forgotten for centuries, to divide the people of Cybertron, the Transformers, once again along the lines of Decepticon and Autobot. It was time to recreate the schism.

He turned from the window to regard his closest liuetenants, seated in this dark, vaulted chamber around a round table. There was Sky Commander Dirge, leader of the Seekers, the feared Decepticon Cyberjet warriors. Next to him sat General Straxus, commander of the Decepticon ground forces. This triumvirate formed the Decepticon High Command, and they directed the whole of their people.

Shockwave took his seat, staring at the other two with his golden single optic. "For millions of stellar cycles, the Autobots and the Decepticons have been at peace," he began "ever since Optimus Prime and Megatron were lost to the void of space. The time has come for that to change. Decepticon conquest must be renewed. There must be a change in our people, a paradigm shift."

Dirge smiled and nodded in agreement as he spoke "Yes, the time for unity had ended. The Autobots have restricted us for too long, this peace has resulted in stagnation. The Autobots must be eliminated."

Straxus shook his head and looked at Dirge "We need not annhilate them. Genocide is a waste of our resources. Better to conquer them and make them part of us."

Dirge was disturbed by what he saw as Autobot sympathy in Straxus, and glanced at Shockwave to see their leader's feelings on this. The face-less Decepticon dictator's reaction, as always, was impossible to determine by looking at him. Shockwave said nothing of the debate as he drew two data-pads and handed them to Dirge and Straxus. "These are plans of attack for each of your divisions. Commence them immediately."

Dirge opened his mouth to ask a question, but Shockwave rose from the table and returned to staring out the window, his back turned to the other two. Dirge felt the impression that it was wise not to disturb Shockwave, and merely carry out his orders. Straxus and Dirge departed immediately from the chamber, leaving the bizarre tyrant alone to his personal reflections.

Although he could not frown, Shockwave was rather upset with this turn of events as he stared out at Cybertron's lone metallic moon.

*

Elsewhere on Cybertron, in the city of Iacon, the Autobot Springer was looking up at the sky. "It's a full moon, Arcee," Springer said as he leaned against the walkway's railing, "that tends to cause all sorts of naughty behavior." He smiled and winked an optical shutter at his companion.

Sliding her hand onto Springer's shoulder, Arcee leaned in close as she whispered "Maybe, but there will be none of that, unless you can catch up to me…" She let out a giggle as she lept over the side of the balcony, transforming in mid-fall to her alternate mode, a hovercar, as she landed on the road below. With blinding speed she took off, not looking back to see if Springer was following.

Of course he was following, the Triple-Changer transforming into his helicopter mode, soaring over Arcee as he dropped suddenly in altitude and transformed into his third mode, a hovercar of his own, pulling alongside his pink-tinted consort. He called out to Arcee over his loudspeaker "Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to pull over." Arcee let out another giggle as she zoomed to side of the road and transformed, breaking into a run.

Springer likewise transformed, using his powerful leaping ability to soar over Arcee and land in front of her with a tremendous slam. He winked at her and chuckled "Gotcha!" as he picked her up in a hug, "Now, I've caught you, so…" He leaned in close to her, but Arcee suddenly pushed away as they heard the approaching sound of roaring motors.

"Hey, look Springer, it's Hot Rod!" she exclaimed as she walked towards the center of the road smiling and waving frantically. Springer grunted out of frustration at the interruption and sarcastically muttered "Oh, Hot Rod. Yay."

Hot Rod and two of his comrades, Chase and Blurr, were indeed approaching, at an extreme velocity. Arcee was standing in the middle of the road, and it didn't appear that Hot Rod and his cronies were going to stop. Springer leapt in front of Arcee and put up his hands, screaming "Stop!"

Hot Rod, Chase and Blurr came veering to a stop just metres in front of Springer, kicking up a massive cloud of dirt from the highway, coating Springer in a thin layer of grime, and leaving Arcee untouched. The three young Autobots laughed as they transformed into their robot forms. Hot Rod smiled and nodded to Springer "Way to be a hero. I knew you'd do that."

Springer wiped the dust from his faceplate and growled at Hot Rod "That was not funny." The flippant Hot Rod smirked and waved his hand dismissively at Springer "Sure it was, just not to you. Arcee is laughing." Springer looked back at his consort with a scowl as she tried to conceal a giggle.

"So how's your date going, Greener?" Hot Rod asked, calling Springer by his nickname, which always irritated the Triple-Changer. "It was fine, till you showed up" grunted Springer.

Giving Springer a gentle slap in the arm, Arcee looked at him "Oh, c'mon Springer, don't be mean" She then looked at Hot Rod "So what are you three up to?"

The fast-talking Blurr replied "WellWeWereGoingToGoToTheGoldenBlaster… ButTheyCardedUsSoIGuessNot." Everyone just stared at Blurr as only his brother Chase could understand most of what he just said. Chase attempted to translate "We wanted to go hang out at the Gee-Bee, but they have that age limit, so we are trying to find something else to do."

Springer nodded "And it's a good thing they have that limit, young ones like you three shouldn't be getting hopped up on intoxicants. You'd try to drive home and end up smashing everything up." Hot Rod crossed his arms in defiance and said to Springer "Hey, you aren't much older than us, Greener."

Springer shuddered a bit as Hot Rod said his nickname again, and slipped his arm around Arcee as he smiled at Hot Rod "Yeah, well, I'm old enough." 

Chase interrupted the conversation as he looked away from the highway, pointing at something in the sky "Hey, aren't those Seekers?" The rest of the group looked over to see four Decepticon Seeker jets approaching fast. Springer furrowed his optical ridges in confusion "Wonder what they are doing here. It's rare you see a Decepticon in Iacon…" Not knowing the Seekers' malicious intent, Chase ran over to the edge of the highway and waved to the Cyberjets. The Decepticons and Autobots were at peace, after all, as they had been for millenia.

Shock struck the group as the Seekers unleashed a volley of laser fire on Chase, rending the young Autobot asunder. Arcee simply stared in horror as Chase was ripped apart by the hail of blasts. Blurr immediately tried to run to his brother's side, but Hot Rod grabbed him by the arm and screamed "Run!" The four of them transformed into their vehicle modes and fled while the Seekers performed strafing runs, barely missing them.

As they drove down the highway, pursued by the Decepticons, the young Autobots began to notice that the Decepticon assault was not limited to these four Seekers. All around Iacon the city was suddenly raging under siege, as Decepticon ground and air forces mauled the unprepared Autobots. It became clear that there was no way the four young Autobots were going to escape these Seekers so easily.

"All of you escape, I'll hold them off!" Springer shouted to the others as he transformed into his helicopter mode, flying up to attack the Seekers. "Oh, no you don't!" Hot Rod shouted as he stopped and transformed, "There's no way you are getting all the glory, Springer!" He fired up at the Decepticon jets, nearly striking one of them.

Dirge, commander of the Seekers, called out to his troops "Thrust, Ramjet, destroy the three on the ground. Hooligan, you and I shall slay this triple-formed fool. He wants to be a martyr, so be it!"

Arcee and Blurr were still driving forwards, trying to escape the Decepticon assault, as they saw another hover-vehicle approaching on the highway. Blurr recognized it immediately as his father, Kup. The near-ancient Transformer shouted to the two "Get to the base, the Decepticons have declared war on us!" Blurr attempted to tell Kup about Chase's death, but Kup was moving too fast to hear Blurr.

Thrust and Ramjet streaked down at Hot Rod like bolts of lightning, dodging his laser blasts as they fired shots of their own. From behind Hot Rod came Kup, transforming and blasting the two Seekers with a powerful energy rifle. Ramjet let out a howl as his left wing was seared off, and he transformed to his robot form to compensate for the loss. Thrust was struck hard in the nosecone by one of Kup's blasts, sending him spiraling to the ground.

Hot Rod looked at Kup, nodding in appreciation but he knew Kup had to be told. He began to say to him "Kup, Chase, he's…" Kup knew deep down what had happened from the look of fear on Hot Rod's face, but didn't want to accept it, merely saying "Where is he?" Hot Rod transformed and took off, Kup transforming and following close behind.

Springer was doing his best to combat the combined forces of Dirge and Hooligan by himself, but he was doing poorly. Laser blasts pockmarked his hard armored surface. Hooligan came flying at Springer, deadly bolts of energy streaking towards the green Triple-Changer. A new tactic popped into Springer's mind. He transformed into his robot mode as Hooligan passed under him, dropping down on the Seeker. Springer raised his energy-sheathed sword over his head, preparing to drive it into Hooligan's form as Hooligan struggled to shake the Autobot loose. He rammed the sword down, but missed Hooligan's vital systems.

Still the Seeker squealed in pain, calling to Dirge "Father!" Hearing the pained cries of his son, Dirge turned in mid-flight and blasted Springer square in the chest, shaking him loose from Hooligan. Dirge noticed his other two warriors of his squad injured, and called for retreat. Ramjet scooped Thrust as he flew off, all four of the Seekers fleeing. It seemed this was a general indication of the Decepticons as a whole, as all over the city the assaulting Decepticon forces began to retreat by command of their various leaders. Springer dropped down to the ground, transforming into his hovercar mode, heading towards the inner military base of Iacon, knowing that's where everyone was heading.

*

The sounds of greiving dominated the chapel, as the funeral of Chase moved on. He was one of many killed in the Decepticon assault on Iacon, the many innocent who never saw the Decepticon attack coming. At the front of the chapel on a raised dais stood Plexus, the head chaplain. He spoke to the assembled mass "We are here to mourn the loss of one of many, Chase, son of Kup. In the shadow of this great tragedy, we can only look to Primus for support and guidance, for answers in this time of horror."

Plexus was interrupted as Kup suddenly rose from his seat and moved to the dais, to speak to the many of his friends and family present. Behind him was a capsule containing the remains of his son Chase.

"We need not look to Primus, we know the answer. The Decepticons assaulted us for no reason, violated our millenia-old peace agreement because, quite frankly, it is their nature. They are conquerors, irredemable villians and tyrants who must be stopped. We were fools to ever turn our backs on them, for when we did they jammed a dagger in our side. I say to you, never again! We are pacifists by our calling, but now is not the time for pacifism! The Covenant of Primus tells us freedom is the right of all sentient beings, freedom to live and exist without oppression. We must stop those who would take our freedom, our lives, the lives of our children! We shall never again suffer this injustice and stand idle. The Decepticons must be stopped, no matter the cost!"

A wave of whispers and murmurs filled the chapel as the Autobots commented on Kup's call to war. Then a few began applauding. This applause spread like wildfire through the chapel, everyone taking to their feet and giving Kup's speech a standing ovation. But some merely stood for appearance's sake, and did not applaud. Some found the nature of Kup's words disturbing. Standing next to Arcee and Springer, Hot Rod looked to his two friends and whispered "This vengeance will be the end of us all."


End file.
